No part of the world

by Lost in the fog 9 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Lost in the fog

  The WT calls itself Christian while at the same time insisting that its witnesses don't mix with other Christian groups but remain separate.

  To be no part of the world.

  I was mulling this over recently in my personal Bible reading. In the first century that demarcation would have made sense because apart from your fellow worshippers the rest of mankind were going to be Jewish, Roman, polytheistic, pagan, or (I guess much like today) didn't really care.

  Christians had no worries about meeting up with other people who believed in Jesus the same as they did even if there were minor differences depending on who had first taught the gospel message to them.

  But nowadays there's not just one Christian group against the world, there's lots of "Christians" out there. So logically why would separation need to continue with no contact?

  Now I know what the average JW would probably say, while most of us here eventually recognised that it was simply a cult building an imaginary wall around it's devotees to stop them getting out and listening to other people.

  As Jesus said "where two or three are gathered together in my name" the emphasis is on being Christians all together as he intended and letting Christ be present in our midst.
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  truth_b_known

  The funny thing is that the first Christians were practicing Second Temple Jews. So, they practiced Judaism, but also followed the teachings of Jesus. There were several branches of Christianity right out of the gate.

  I do think the historical Jesus would agree with you 100%.

  
  
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  punkofnice

  The WBT$ is not a real religion, Christian or otherwise. they are just a corporation that fools the JWs into thinking it's a religion. I have long thought that the Governing Body(tm) (Pee be upon them), know this and are just cashing in. They are probably atheists and certainly some or all amongst them are child sex offenders.

  They are 'no part of the world(tm), in as much as they wish to keep JWs asleep and giving their money and assets to the GB(tm).

  It's all fake. All for money, power and hubris.
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  Mum

  You said it, punkofnice. A real religion is concerned about more than recruiting new members. They use some of their money to provide for the needy.
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  JeffT

  As I came out of the Watchtower it was a real revelation to discover that "Christendom" was not nearly as divided as the WTBS would have us believe. The vast majority of Christians regard each other as fellow believers. They accept a number of core beliefs and consider everything else as a matter of personal choice. Even Catholics are regarded as faithful and well-meaning, even if a bit mislead.
  

  I once read that most American Protestants picked the church they attend based on one of two things: 1) it was their parents church or 2) the building is easy to get to and they like the music. Doctrine simply isn't a major source of disagreement.
  
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  Phizzy

  There is the account (story) in one of the Gospels where someone is preaching about Jesus, but is not of the Apostles or disciples directly associating with Jesus, Jesus says to let him carry on, for "whoever is not against us, stands with us" ( I paraphrase), but that is the attitude that must have pertained in the early Church as it grew, and various Sects became evident, called "false Apostles" by Paul, teaching a different Gospel, or set of Doctrines, to Paul.

  But nowhere are these Christians called part of the "Kosmos", or World, the world is the people who do not have among them anyone believing in , and teaching the gospel in some form or another, or pagandom we could say.

  The J.W org ignores that Gospel story, and lumps together all who are not J.W's, as "the world", which goes against Scripture, and Christian practice.
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  joao

  @Phizzy

  That's a very good one! Thanks for pointing it out!

  Can you, please, tell us where we can find that account?
  
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  BoogerMan

  @ joao - Mark 9:38-40
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  joao

  @BM

  Thank you very much!
  
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  Phizzy

  " 38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

  39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us."